Paint can attachment



1957 A. W.WOODWARD ,81

PAINT CAN ATTACHMENT Filed Feb. 13, 1956 FIG. 2

FIG. I

FIG. 3-

FIG. 4

INVENTOR.

ALVA w. WOODWARD BY 44d 2/ 214x72 ATTORNEY United States Patent PAINT CAN ATTACI-llVIENT Alva W. Woodward, Kent, Ohio; Lucile F. Woodward, executrix of said Alva W. Woodward, deceased Application February 13, 1956, Serial No. 564,915

4 Claims. (Cl. 15-257) This invention relates to an attachment for paint cans and more particularly to one that provides means to remove the excess paint from a brush after it has been dipped in the paint.

The various attachments that have been available in the past only have provided an edge which served as a wiper for the brush as it was dragged thereover. This method of removing the paint from the brush removes more paint than is necessary and also removes the paint only from one side unless the brush is turned over. In many instances, the edge or rim of the can is used so the paint is not evenly removed due to the curvature of the can. This also tends to soften the bristles on the edges of the brush and fill the groove with paint which eventually runs over the sides of the can.

It is the practice of most professional painters to use a special paint bucket that is relatively wide at the top with a substantial taper on the sides with no lip around the top edge. The painter slaps the brush alternately from one side to the other a few times which removes the excess paint and evenly distributes a substantial portion of it over the brush. This method permits more paint to be spread from one dipping of the brush without dripping or dropping off the brush, consequently the time required to paint is reduced and the neatness of the job improved. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an attachment for a paint can that may be easily attached to the can.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an attachment that will permit the painter to more effectively remove the excess paint from the brush by slapping the brush several times against opposed flat surfaces rather than dragging over an edge.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an attachment that is simple and economical to manufacture.

Another object of the invention is to provide an attachment that may be easily inserted and removed from a paint can and may be used over and over again.

This and other objects of the invention will be apparent herein as the description hereof proceeds and in the claims thereunto appended.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view showing the attachment in position;

Figure 2 is a plan view showing the attachment preparatory to positioning;

Figure 3 is a partial front section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a partial side section showing the use of the attachment.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a conventional paint can with the inwardly extending sealing groove 2 around the upper periphery of the can 1. As it is readily apparent, the attachment 3 of the present invention forms a pair of spaced opposed substantially parallel surfaces extending substantially vertically into the paint can 1 above the level of the paint. Plates 4 and 5 of relatively thin sheet material are held in this spaced opposed relation by resilient strips 6 and 7 attached to the plates and extending therebetween.

Plates 4 and 5, as shown, are identical and of a size so as to chord a substantial portion of the side of the can 1 as best seen in Fig. 1, when they are in position. Also the plates preferably are of a width and height so that they engage the entire surface of the paint brush at one time. The upper corners of each plate are removed as at 8 and 9 so as to provide a slight clearance 10 between the edge of the plate and the rim 2 of can 1 when the edges 11 and 12 of the plates engage the can 1.

To provide a simple and eflicient means of holding the attachment 5 in position in the can 1, the strips 6 and 7, preferably of spring steel, are attached as shown to the outside of plates 4 and 5 by rivets 13. Other means of attaching the strips 6 and 7, such as spot welding, may be used if desired. The strip 6 extends between the plates 4 and 5 in the form of a loop 14 which extends beyond the edge 11 and top 15 of the plates 4 and 5. The strip 7 extends similarly between the plates 4 and 5 with the loop 16 extending beyond the edges 12 and top 15 in the opposite direction.

The resiliency 'of the loops 14 and 16 urges the plates 4 and 5 outwardly so that the edges 11 and 12 of the plates 4 and 5 contact the inside of the can 1. This holds the plates firmly in position for use and the edges of the loops 14 and 16 engage the rim 2 of the can 1 to prevent the attachment 5 from moving down in the can.

The portion of the strips 6 and 7 that are attached to the plates 4 and 5 criss-cross on the plates and extend diagonally across substantially the entire width of the plates so as to stiffen the plates 4 and 5. This permits lighter material to be used for the plates with the same rigidity that heavier plates would have without the crisscross strips. With the loops 14 and 16 extending beyond the top and edges of the plates an unobstructed opening between the plates into the interior of the paint can is provided.

In using the attachment, the plates 4 and 5 are grasped on the outside and squeezed toward each other to a position such as shown in Fig. 2. The assembly is then placed down in the paint can 1 and then released. The resiliency of the loops 14 and 16 then urges the plates apart and against the sides of the can. The painter then only needs dip his brush in the paint and slap it back and forth gently several times against the plates. This removes the excess paint from the brush and distributes the paint evenly over the brush. The excess paint drains ofi the plates into the can.

While certain representative embodiments and details have been shown for the purpose of illustrating the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. An attachment for a paint can having an inwardly extending rim around the upper edge comprising a pair of spaced opposed plates of a size to fit inside the can and extend substantially vertically into said can on opposite sides of the center thereof, each plate having the top corners notched to provide clearance for the rim of the can, a strip of resilient material extending in a loop like manner between and attached to the plates with the loop extending outwardly beyond one end and above the top of the plates at a substantial angle to the top, and a second strip of resilient material similarly extending between and attached to the plates, the extension of the second strip with respect to the plates being opposite to that of said first strip, the resilient strips permitting the plates to be urged toward each other for insertion of the attachment in the can and resiliently urging the plates outwardly against the can to hold them in position after insertion.

2. An attachment for a paint can having an inwardly extending lip portion around the top edge to provide a pair of spaced, opposed substantially flat surfaces extending downwardly into said can against which a paint brush is alternately slapped to remove the excess paint, said attachment including a pair of plates of a size to chord a substantial portion of the inside of the can and means resiliently urging said plates against the sides of the can in spaced opposed, substantially parallel relation, said means comprising a pair of resilient strips extending in arcuate paths between the plates, each strip having a portion thereof attached to each of said plates and forming a loop therebetween with the loop extending upwardly and outwardly beyond the corners of the plates, the loop of one strip extending oppositely to that of the other strip to provide an unobstructed space between the plates, the resilient strips normally urging the plates against the sides of the can but permitting the plates to be moved toward each other to pass the lip of the can when positioning in the can.

3. An attachment for a paint can having an inwardly extending lip portion around the top edge to provide a pair of spaced, opposed substantially flat surfaces extending downwardly into said can against which a paint brush is alternately slapped to remove the excess paint, said attachment including a pair of plates, each plate being similar and of a size to chord a substantial portion 015 the inside of the can and means resiliently urging said plates against the sides of the can spaced, opposed substantially parallel relation, said means comprising a pair of loops of spring steel extending between said plates, each loop having a portion thereof attached to each of said plates, the loop extending upwardly and outwardly beyond the corners of the plates on one side, one loop extending oppositely to the other loop to provide an unobstructed space between the plates, the loops normally urging the plates against the sides of the can but permitting the plates to be moved toward each other to pass the lip of the can when positioning in the can.

4. An attachment for a paint can having an inwardly extending lip portion around the top edge to provide a pair of spaced, opposed substantially fiat surfaces extending downwardly into said can against which a paint brush is alternately slapped to remove the excess paint, said attachment comprising a pair of plates removably mounted on the interior of the can in spaced, opposed relation, each plate chording a substantial portion of the can and means extending between and attached to said plates to resiliently urge said plates against the sides of the can in spaced opposed relation when the attachment is positioned in the can.

References Cited in the file or" this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 63,841 Bly Apr. 16, 1867 1,734,976 McClellan Nov. 12, 1929 2,626,081 Weed Jan. 20, 1953 2,705,334 Farrow Apr. 5, 1955 

